Your ultimate guide to 2019's Nuit Blanche in Montreal

With so many events scattered throughout the city, in can be a tad overwhelming to look at the Nuit Blanche schedule and have everything figured out.

Nuit Blanche is all night party that concludes the Montréal en Lumière outdoor festival.

Events take place throughout Montreal in a variety of forms, whether it’s on stage or on canvas, outdoors or indoors, restaurants or museums, through music or performances, the whole city comes alive at night, on March 2.

We’ve put together an ultimate guide to steer you in the right direction during the 24-hour party, which centers around the theme of “The Future.”

The 16th edition of the nocturnal promenade will be linked together by a shuttle service,  allowing festival-goers to move easily and quickly from one district to another. Plus, the metro will be open all night for added mobility.

You couldn’t miss this festival, even if you tried. Here are a variety of great events, most of which are free, happening all across Montreal. Check out the festival’s website for a full list of activities throughout the city.

Nuit Blanche at the MMFA

Be the first to check out the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition which was christened this week by Kim Kardashian.

From 5 pm to midnight, take advantage of special price admission ($11.50) and discover the first retrospective ever dedicated to Thierry Mugler – visionary creator, couturier, director, photographer and perfumer.

Set against a spectacular backdrop, the exhibition brings together more than 140 garments made between 1973 and 2001, most of which have never been shown before.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 5 pm – 12 am
Where: Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal, 1380 rue Sherbrooke
Price: $11.50

Karaoké On Ice

Experience a memorable night by showcasing your voice on the gorgeously lit outdoor skating rink accompanied by the event’s emcee, Chouchoune.

Because skating isn’t tough enough, try singing while doing it.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 9 pm – 1 am
Where: Montreal’s Old Port
Price: $6.95

Puzzling Predictions

Experience an escape game with a time travel twist. Before guests enter the escape room, they will be presented with a series of “Prediction Puzzles.” Each puzzle you solve correctly will help you foresee what’s ahead.

But can you really predict the future?

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 9 pm – 4 am
Where: Mystery Room Montreal, 7 boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest
Price: $8

Nuit Blanche at the Grévin Wax Museum

The Grévin Wax Museum is already scary enough during the day. Imagine being there in the dead of night?

As part of the Nuit Blanche experience, Grévin will be hosting a future’s night with tarot reading, storytelling, magic and, of course, wax figurines.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 7 pm – 1 am
Where: Grévin Montréal, 705 rue Ste. Catherine
Price: $10, available online

Nuit des 100 improvisateurs

Théâtre Sainte-Catherine is hosting a giant improv comedy party with some of the best improv artists in town.

Not only will they change improvisers, themes and styles every hour, they will also change languages, offering a completely bilingual show — Montreal-style.

Cocktails, beers, wine, shooters (or juices and tea) will be available at the bar, which will be open all night long.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 8 pm – 3 am
Where: Theatre Sainte Catherine Café-Bar, 264 Ste. Catherine Est
Price: Free

Nuit blanche at the Observatory

Offering the only 360° panoramic view of the city, the Observatoire Place Ville Marie is taking part in Nuit Blanche by extending its opening hours until 1 am at a reduced price.

Discover (or re-discover) the city’s skyline during this special evening and contemplate the beauty and night glow of today’s Montreal.

The unique view offers the illuminated colours of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, the Biosphere and La Grande Roue, in addition to the lights of the Olympic Stadium, the cross of Mount Royal and the Saint Joseph’s Oratory.

When: Saturday, March 2nd
Time: 8 pm – 1 am
Where: Observatoire Place Ville Marie 5, Place Ville Marie
Price: $10, on-site (cash only)

Alive at Night: Art, Music & History at McGill

This is actually a night at the museum.

McGill University’s Visual Arts Collection is joining forces with the Schulich School of Music and the Beatty Memorial Lecture Series to offer Alive at Night: Art, Music, and History at McGill.

Guests can enjoy free flashlight tours of the art and architecture in Redpath Hall, a renowned 19th-century building, and one of the oldest at McGill. Animated by a multimedia presentation, and followed by a live, multi-instrumental musical performance, these tours promise to bring the past, present, and future of McGill to life.

There will be a total of four tours throughout the night: two in English and two in French. Each tour will accommodate 30 persons and last approximately 60 minutes.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 9 pm – 1 am
Where: Roddick Gates, Sherbrooke Ouest
Price: Free

Nomadic Massive

Nomadic Massive is a unique crowd-rocking, multilingual hip-hop crew based out of Montreal.

Known for their explosive shows and sharp socially conscious lyrics, the band has captivated audiences worldwide with their own mix of global beats, based on live instrumentation and the art of sampling.

They’ll be rocking out l’Astal during Nuit Blanche until the wee hours of the morning.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 11:55 pm – 1:30 am
Where: L’Astral, 305 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest
Price: Free

Nuit de Tango

Dance the night away — actually

Tango lovers will have the lights dimmed down and the studio will be turned into a tango club with DJ Julien who promises to play all the best traditional, alternative and electro-tango music.

Organizers invite all levels (or no level) of dancers.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 8:30 pm – 3:30 am
Where: Studio Tango Montreal, 7755 Boul. St-Laurent, #200-A&B
Price: Free

Back to the Future Screening

Café Campus’ three bars will transport you through the time-space continuum of the famous Back to the Future trilogy on massive screens at the bar.

You’ll visit “retro” 1955, “futuristic” 2015, and even the far west of 1885.

Guests are invited to sit through the entire trilogy or join when they please. But come on, who wouldn’t want to watch the whole thing at once?

“McFly!”

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 9 pm – 3 am
Where: Café Campus, 57 Prince Arthur Est
Price: $7

Illuminart

Get arried away by the Illuminart course; illuminated works by local and international at the Place des Arts and the Promenade des Artistes.

Ten pieces mixing new technologies, art and light will amaze young and old alike, in the dead of winter.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 2 pm – 3 am
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Laugh All Night

For the second year in a row, Medley Simple Malt is inviting everyone to a laughing marathon where over 20 local comedians will perform all night.

It’s tough to laugh for six hours straight but it’s worth a shot.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 8 pm – 2 am
Where: Medley Simple Malt, 6206 rue St. Hubert
Price: $12

RBC Zip-line

Soar from west to east, from Balmoral Street almost all the way to St-Urbain Street, and take a bird’s eye view of the entire Montreal en Lumière site.

Don’t forget to smile though as guests can receive a souvenir video at the end of your zip.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 2 pm – 3 am
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Glow in the Dark Party

Families are welcome to get lit inside the Grande bibliothèque for a glow in the dark party.

The“Espace Jeunes” will be open so that you can create vinyl shapes, put them on your clothes and let your own unique style shine.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 4:30 pm – 10 pm
Where: Grande bibliothèque, 475 boulevard de Maisonneuve
Price: Free

Gaming Zone

Escape into an interactive world and make endless discoveries in Espace EA Motive Studios, Montreal’s video game studio.

Outdoor video games at night in the winter? Uh… yes.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 8 pm – 3:30 am
Where: Festival Montréal Joue
Price: Free

Inflatable Obstacle Course

Bringing together sports such as climbing, jumping, running and swimming in a whirlwind of amusing quests on an inflatable obstacle course.

Wibit is a long water race through inflatable tracks that will allow you to play like a child in the very same pool that hosted the 1976 Olympic Games swimming competitions.

When: Saturday, March 2
Time: 8 pm – 12 am
Where: Olympic Park Sports Centre, 4545 Pierre-De-Coubertin Avenue
Price: Free